Key takeaways
- Chaga has traditionally been simmered as a tea.
- Its density makes preparation and cell-wall disruption important.
- Hot water and alcohol each extract different compounds.
- Chaga is high in oxalates; check with a professional if you have kidney concerns.
Chaga is dense, hard and woody, and has been prepared as a tea for generations. This article explains how chaga is extracted today and why its unusual form calls for care.
From tea to tincture
Modern hot water extraction is a controlled version of this.
Preparation matters
Chaga is extremely dense. Breaking it into small pieces or coarse powder greatly increases the surface in contact with the solvent. Techniques that help break open cells, such as ultrasonic extraction, are especially useful for material this hard.
Hot water
Hot water draws out chaga’s water-soluble compounds, including polysaccharides and much of its dark colour. See Chaga Compounds Explained.
Alcohol
Chaga also contains compounds, including triterpenes, that dissolve better in alcohol. An alcohol stage extracts these and preserves the finished tincture. See Alcohol Mushroom Extraction Explained.
Combining
The water and alcohol extracts are combined into a dual extract. Chaga tinctures are very dark, and some sediment is normal.
A reminder
Chaga is naturally high in oxalates. If you have kidney problems, a history of kidney stones or take medication, speak to a healthcare professional before using chaga.
How we make ours
We extract wild Finnish chaga in hot water using ultrasonic extraction, and separately in plant-derived ethanol, then combine them in small batches in Dorset. Explore our Chaga tincture.